Bedside support



April 11, 1967 B FAHRNI ET AL BEDS IDE SUPPORT Filed April 19, 1965 INVENTORS BROCK M. FAHRNI EDWARD J. SMITH Arr'r RNEYs United States Patent O 3,312,986 BEDSIDE SUPPORT Brock M. Fahrni, 1761 Drummond Drive, and Edward J. Smith, 3444 W. th Ave., both of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 449,123 Claims priority, application Canada, Apr. 25, 1964, 901,243 8 Claims. (Cl. 592) This invention relates to a bedside support whereby invalids or others who have been made infirm by age or other disabilities may support themselves in climbing out of or into a bed or shifting their position thereon.

It is appreciated that various forms of bedside supports have in the past been devised and constructed, some being connectable to a bed frame in one manner or another and others being non-connectable thereto. Some of such bedside supports are provided with grips whereby the patient may support himself on attempting to rise from a reclining position on the bed. However, the design of these grips have not usually provided sufficient means whereby one who is so incapacitated that he has not sufiicient strength in his hands to enable him to use these grips to lift himself from his reclined position. In order for such a person to use a bedside support, the support must be furnished with means whereby the invalid may avail himself of the use of his wrist, elbow or forearm to lever himself from the reclined position.

The main object therefore of this invention is to provide a bedside support having grips thereon whereby an extremely incapacitated individual may lever himself upwardly from a reclined position, turn on side or push himself across or upwards on the bed, and once sitting be of assistance in standing and transferring to a chair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed support which is adjustable in height above the invalid in his reclined position so that it may be adapted for use by invalids of varying size.

Still another object is to provide a bedside support which is readily connectable to most standard hospital beds, and readily changeable from one side to the other.

The present invention comprises an elongated standard having an upper portion extending above the bed at one side thereof, means rigidly connecting the standard to the side frame member, an annular handgrip spacedly encircling the standard adjacent the latters upper end, and conecting means rigidly connecting the handgrip to the standard.

In the drawings which illustrate the embodiments of the invention,

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation of the bedside support showing its connection with the frame of a bed,

FIGURE 2 is a view of the invention taken in the direction 22 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of a fragmentary portion of the bedside support showing the gripping means in detail,

FIGURE 4 is another isometric view of a portion of the bedside support showing a connector assembly whereby the support may be secured to a side of a bed,

FIGURE 5 is another fragmentary isometric view of another form of connector assembly, and

FIGURE 6 is another fragmentary isometric view of yet another form of connector assembly.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof, the bedside support indicated by the numeral 10 in general comprises an elongated standard 12 secured at one side of a bed 14 and having a handgrip 16 secured to the standard near its upper end 18.

The standard 12 is of two-part construction having an upper elongated stem 20 which is slidably received in a 3,312,986 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 lower elongated sleeve 22. The stem 20 is preferably formed of a relatively strong material, such as aluminum or steel, and has a square cross section, and the sleeve 22 may be formed of the same material and has a cross section of the same shape as stem 20 to slidably receive the latter. It is preferred that the cross sectional configuration of the stem sleeve be square, although it may be triangular or any other shape so long as it is arranged so that the stem may be retracted into or extended from the sleeve, but will not rotate relative to the latter.

The handgrip 16 comprises a plurality of at least three (four being illustrated) elongated rods 24 radiating outwardly and upwardly from the stem 20 near the latters upper end. To the upper ends 25 of the rods and encircling the stem 20, is a gripping ring 26. Both the rods 24 and gripping ring 26 are preferably of a circular cross section having a diameter suflicient to provide a comfortable grip thereon by the invalid. The connection of the rods 24 with both the gripping ring 26 and stem 20 may be by Way of welding so that the entire handgrip 16 is sufficiently rigid to support the weight of an invalid without collapsing. The ring 26 is also located below the upper end 1 8 of the standard so that a portion 28 of the latter extends upwardly above the ring to also provide an extra grip for the invalid and also provide support for accessory portions of equipment. The upper end portion 30 of the sleeve is welded or otherwise secured to a connector 32 by which means said sleeve may be secured to the bed. In FIGURE 1, the bed 14 is shown having a mattress 34 supported on springs 35, the latter being supported between a pair of longitudinally extending spaced side frames 36 with which the bed is provided. In the example of the bed as shown in FIG- URE 1, each of the side frames 36 is formed of a longitudinally extending channel member 37, the side legs 38 of which extend inwardly the lower one of the latter being secured to a horizontal leg 40 of a longitudinally extending angle iron 42, the other leg 44 of said angle iron 42 extending vertically downwardly in substantial alignment with the base 45 of the channel member 37. The connector 32 is in the form of an angle iron having a vertical leg 47 arranged to fit snugly against the base 45 of the channel member and the vertical leg 44 of the angle iron 42 and having a horizontal leg 48, the end 49 of which is bent inwardly and backwardly upon itself to form a hook 50 adapted to fit over the free edge of the uppermost one of the side legs 38 of the channel member 37. To the vertical leg 47 of the connector are secured 'a pair of threaded shafts 51 extending at one end 53 below the free edge 55 of said vertical leg 47. The connector 32 is held securely against one of the side frames 36 by means of a clamping plate 57, the latter having a base 58 provided with suitable apertures near one longitudinal edge 60 thereof spaced apart sufficiently so that each Will accept the ends 53 of the shaft 51 and having formed at the opposite edge 62 thereof a longitudinally upwardly extending U-shaped member 64 adapted to slidably receive the lower or free edge 66 of the other or vertical leg 44 of one of the angle irons 42. The connector 32 is applied to one of the side frames 36, as shown in FIGURE 1, by first fitting the hook 50 of the edge 49 of the horizontal leg 48 over the free edge of upper side of one of the channel members 37, the clamp 57 fitted over the shafts 51 and drawn upwardly against the free edge of the vertical leg 44 of the angle iron by wing nuts 68 threadedly fitting said shaft 51.

Another type of connector 70 may be used for beds in which the side frame members thereof comprise a pair of inwardly facing channel members. This connector 70 is clearly shown in FIGURE 5, secured to a side frame member '72 of the bed, said side frame member being a channel member having a vertical base 74 and horizontal side piece 76. The side pieces 76 are provided with a plurality of spaced holes '73 formed therethrough and by which means bottles of plasma and the like may be supported on rods which may he slipped through said holes. The connector 70 is also formed as a portion of a channel member arranged to fit around the outside of the side frame 72, said connector having a vertical base 80 to which the sleeve 22 of the bedside support may be secured as by welding, and having an upper side element 82 and lower side element 84, the latter having its free edge 86 bent backwardly upon itself to form a hook 87 arranged to grasp the free edge of the lower side element 76 of the bed frame, which lower side element has holes 89 formed therethrough and spaced so that each will lie in registry with a pair of the holes 78. The connector 70 is then secured in position by bolts 96 which extend through holes formed in the connector and side frame and secured by suitable nuts.

Both connectors 7d and 32 are elongated in a direction longitudinally of the side frame-s 36 to provide stability in a direction longitudinally of the bed.

Lateral stability of the bedside support transversely of the bed is provided by way of a brace 91 which extends between the sleeve 22 and the side frame 36 on the opposite side of the bed. The brace 91 is of tWo-part telescopic construction having a sleeve portion 93 which slidably receives an extension arm 95. One end 97 of the sleeve portion 93 is pivotally secured on a shaft 98 extending between the ears 99 of a clamp 100 which encircles the sleeve 22 near its lower end 101. The clamp 100 is slidable on the sleeve 22 but may be secured against vertical movement thereto by means of a thumb screw 102 which extends through the clamp and may be screwed down against the sleeve 22. The sleeve portion 93 has its other end 103 formed as a clamp which, provided with a bolt and wing nut 104,, provides means whereby the two sections of the brace may be rigidly secured against longitudinal movement relative to each other after the brace has been properly adjusted as to length.

The extension arm 95 is pivotally secured at its extended or free end 1% between a pair of cars 107 extending from a U-shaped bracket 108, the latter being adapted to fit a free edge of the vertical leg of the angle iron of the side frame member which corresponds to the free edge of the vertical leg 44 of the angle iron 42 of the side member, and the bracket 108 is rigidly secured against movement by means of a pair of thumb screws 110 which .extend therethrough and may be turned down against said vertical leg.

When the bedside support is secured to the side frame 36 of the hed as hereinbefore described, the stem 20 of the standard 12 may be extended upwardly so as to position the gripping ring 25 at a height suitable for use thereof by the invalid, and fixedly positioned relative the sleeve by means of a split ring clamp 111 which may be positioned around said stem and abutting the upper end 112 of the sleeve, then tightened down on the stem by means of a bolt and wing nut 113 which extend through the ears 114 of the clamp 111.

In some hospital beds there is provided as a permanent fixture a vertical sleeve which is usually welded to the bed frame for the purpose of supporting various types of supporting standards and the like by which means equipment and articles used in the care of a patient may be suspended over the bed. The present invention therefore may be adapted to take advantage of a bed of this nature by utilizing the sleeve thereof to support the standard of the'bedside support. In FIGURE 6, a bed of this construction is shown having a sleeve 11S welded or otherwise fastened to a side frame 117 thereof. The bedside support standard 119 which corresponds to the stem 20' of standard 12 is arranged to slidably fit through the sleeve 115 and is adjusted for height above the bed by means of a clamp 126 which is of similar construction to split ring clamp 111 and which serves the same purpose as the latter.

The bedside support as described herein, by virtue of the adjustability of its parts, is sufficiently flexible to permit its use with most beds. It is also apparent that as the stem 20 and standard 119 are removable from the sleeves 22 and 117, respectively, of the standard 12 by simply withdrawing the former upwardly from the latter, the bed may be provided with a varied selection of handgrips of varying sizes without the necessity of disengaging the sleeve from the side frames of the bed.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In combination with a bed having side frame members, a bedside support comprising an elongated standard having an upper portion extending above the bed at one side thereof, means rigidly connecting the standard to a side frame member, an annular handgrip spacedly encircling the upper portion of the standard below the latters upper end, and a plurality of at least three elongated rods extending between the handgrip and standard to rigidly secure the former to the latter.

2. A bedside support as claimed in claim 1 in which the rods are inclined upwardly from the standard.

3. In combination with a bed havin-g side frame members, a bedside support comprising a standard having upper and lower coaxial and telescoping sections arranged at the side of the bed, means connecting the lower section to a side frame member, means to lock the upper section in a selectively extended position relative to the lower section, an annular handgrip spacedly encircling the upper section of the standard below the upper end of the latter, and a plurality of at least three elongated rods each being connected at one end to the standard and at the other end to the handgrip to rigidly secure the latter to the former.

4. A bedside support as claimed in claim 3 in which the rods are inclined upwardly from the standard.

5. A bedside support for attachment to a bed having side frame members comprising a standard adapted to be positioned adjacent one side of the bed, a clamp on said standard for detachably securing the latter to a side member at said one side of the bed so that an upper end POI? tion of the standard extends above the bed, an annular hand grip .spacedly encircling said upper end portion and being spaced below the upper end thereof, and at least three elongated rods extending between the-hand grip and standard to rigidly secure the former to the latter.

6. A bedside support as claimed in claim 5 in which the rods are inclined upwardly from the standard.

7. A bedside support 'as claimed in claim 5 in which the standard is formed of a pair of telescopically interfitting longitudinally adjustable portions of other than circular cross section so as to be non-rotatable relative to each other.

3. A bedside support as claimed in claim 5 including an elongated brace pivotally connected to the lower end of the standard and adapted to be extended transversely beneath the bed, and means to detachably secure the brace to a side frame member at the side of the bed opposite said one side.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,114 8/1905 Rosenthal 5--3 17 1,797,847 3/1931 Vandagrifi' 5332 2,419,163 4/1947 Pope 18290 2,585,660 2/1952 Kjos et a1. 5-317 2,981,959 5/1961 Burnham 5-92 3,061,023 10/1962 Samhammer et al 182--90 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KR U A S SWH Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BED HAVING SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, A BEDSIDE SUPPORT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STANDARD HAVING AN UPPER PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE THE BED AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING THE STANDARD TO A SIDE FRAME MEMBER, AN ANNULAR HANDGRIP SPACEDLY ENCIRCLING THE UPPER PORTION OF THE STANDARD BELOW THE LATTER''S UPPER END, AND A PLURALITY OF AT LEAST THREE ELONGATED RODS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE HANDGRIP AND STANDARD TO RIGIDLY SECURED THE FORMER TO THE LATTER. 